


Conversations

by kanasukii



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016), Stranger Things - Fandom
Genre: Harringrove, I hate myself for this, M/M, why am i like this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-08
Updated: 2017-11-08
Packaged: 2019-01-30 22:58:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,551
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12663171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kanasukii/pseuds/kanasukii
Summary: A series of conversations between Steve and Billy





	Conversations

Steve Harrington looked around the deserted parking lot. He shook his head and sighed. Man, what an idiot he was, thinking that Billy would really want to talk to him in a way that didn't involve violence and insults. Thinking back on it, Steve really wasn't sure why he had agreed to this. Of course, it's not like he had much of a choice.

* * *

 

  He was just standing at his locker, not even waiting for anyone when lo and behold, Billy Hargrove sauntered up like some big jungle cat. He leaned himself against the lockers and yawned, like he was bored already. Steve shut his locker and to prepare a successful comeback for whatever was about to come out of the bully's mouth. Before Steve could ask him what he wanted Billy had already started to talk.

  "So, King Steve, how about you and I meet up in the parking lot in front of the old store," he had suggested, eyebrows waggling and a horrible grin on his face. Steve had shot him a look that pretty much said get-to-the-fucking-point. Billy rolled his eyes, threw his hands up in a fake surrender, and sobered up his expression. "Seriously? Fine. We need to talk, just you and me. Today, after school. See you then,  _King Steve_."

  And with that, he left, leaving a very confused Steve Harrington behind him.

* * *

  Coming back to the present, Steve continued to sit with the radio playing Devo through the speakers. Steve was about ten seconds away from starting his car and leaving before he heard the Camaro tear into the lot. He banged his head on the steering wheel twice.

  "Shit," he muttered softly before stepping out of the car. Steve pulled his jacket tighter around him and wished he had worn more than just a hoodie. Billy pulled into a parking space haphazardly and quickly followed suit, complete with door slamming and a cigarette already placed in between his lips.

  "So?" Steve asked, suspicion evident in his tone. Billy lit the cancer stick and took a long drag, refusing to make eye contact with the other boy. Steve quirked an eyebrow, having detected Billy's uneasiness. They stood in silence for a few minutes while Billy finished his cigarette, the brisk wind turning their noses and cheeks a light pink.

  "So what?" Billy snapped. He had briefly considered just setting Steve up and not showing, but he really wanted Max to leave him the hell alone. All he did was bust Steve's face, what was so wrong with that? Lots of things, according to her.

  Billy took a deep breath and crushed the stub of his cigarette underneath his heavy boot, grinding it mercilessly into the asphalt. "I'm sorry," he finally managed to say. Wow. What a blow to his ego.

  Steve cocked an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Wh-what now? What're you sorry for?" He ran a hand through his heavily treated hair and quickly placed his hand back in his hoodie pocket. The only thing he could think of is when Billy beat him up, but since then Billy had mostly left him alone, so why would he bother apologizing now?

  A glare crossed Billy's face quickly, and Steve briefly considered just getting in his car and leaving. Billy composed himself and cleared his throat. "Sorry for breaking your fucking face. What else would I would be sorry for?" Steve nodded thoughtfully as the gears started turning. There seemed to be an unsaid insult that lingered in the air. Steve actually kind of appreciated the fact that Billy didn't say it. 

  "Ah, yeah. I guess it's uh, okay or whatever. You know, the past is behind us and all," Steve replied and fiddled with his zipper.

  Billy shook his head and leaned against the blue car. he looked frustrated as he ran a hand through his dirty blond hair and huffed. "No, King Steve, it's not. I beat the shit out of you because you wanted," he paused and took a breath, "because you wanted to make sure Max was safe. It was a dick move." Billy pulled another cigarette out and lit it, hastily putting it in between his lips. He took a long, deep drag and held it there for a minute, feeling the smoke curl inside and infest his lungs.

  "Uh, yeah. Babysitting is serious business, man," Steve said with a fond smile as he thought of Dustin and the others. Billy managed a small smile, but it quickly vanished. It was a ghost of a thing, his smile. It was rare and fleeting, and hardly ever genuine. Steve felt kind of weird that he was one of the few who had the privilege of experiencing Billy Hargrove's real smile. It was one that held no malice behind it, and Steve wondered what it would be like to be Billy's friend.

  Steve was rendered speechless for one of the few times in his life. He shuffled his feet, unsure of what to do with himself. Discomfort was evident on Billy's face. Steve almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "Hey, uh, can I ask why? Like, why you just decided to say sorry?" Steve asked quickly.

  Billy looked back up at him and raised his eyebrows. "How about because that little shit keeps threatening to nail my dick to the floor. For real this time," he explained and tossed his hands up, cigarette dangerously short. Steve nodded and figured that the "little shit" Billy was referring to was Max. 

  "I don't really know how she could do that without my bat. Unless she just wants to, I don't know, prevent you from ever making a baby," Steve said, unable to hold back the chuckle that came afterwards. He looked at Billy and there it was! That smile. 

  Billy shook his head and kicked the ground, his cigarette, somehow still burning, was held between his fingers. "Nope, she specifically said and I quote "Billy if you don't say sorry to Steve, I will nail your dick to the ground." End quote." Both of them were smiling now, relaxed and content. It was weird, being relaxed around Billy, of all people. Steve could relax around Nancy and maybe Jonathon, but Billy? Never ever had he imagined himself able to do that, and yet here he was talking about a bunch of middle schoolers with the guy who broke his face.

  "Man, these fuckin' kids. I love them, but they're so much work. I mean, Mike and Will aren't so bad, but the other three. Hoo, out of  _control._ I still don't really mind babysitting, at least that's one thing I'm good at," he chuckled. Billy smiled and tilted his head back, feeling the brisk wind skate across his face and through his (what is probably now too long) hair.

  A seriousness took over the air once again when Billy picked himself up off of his car. "If you hate me, I get it."

  Steve shot him an incredulous look and shook his head. "Dude, no way. You said sorry, and that's something a lot of guys won't do, regardless of their sister-"

  "Step sister," Billy interjected, stubbing out his second cigarette.

  "Yeah, fine, whatever. They wouldn't do it regardless of their  _step_ sister threatening to nail their dick to the ground. So I can't really hate you for that. In my book, we're all good."

  Billy nods with a type of uncertainty that Steve has never seen from him before. There's a first time for everything, he guesses. Steve realizes he is about to have to grasp for threads of a rope if he wants to be Billy's friend. "So, um, what now?"

  "What do you mean 'what now'?"

  "Like, what do we do now that we're all buddy-buddy?" Steve said in a tone that could not have been more "Duh". Billy smirked and shrugged. 

  "What do you wanna do? Watch a movie? I think The Breakfast Club is still in theaters," Billy suggested.

  Steve grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck. "I've seen it four times."

  "Jesus, man. You got a thing for Molly Ringwald?" he asked and gave Steve his signature eyebrow wiggle, much to Steve's evident disgust.

  "No! God, what is wrong with you? Ally Sheedy is way cuter, but that's besides the point. It's a good movie," Steve replied.

  Their afternoon had pretty much continued like that, light conversation and talking about which girls were cute and which ones weren't, as well as conversing about the Party and the unreasonably cold weather. It kind of amazed Steve just how well he and Billy got along when they weren't trying to fight each other or argue. He found himself hopeful that their newfound friendliness would stick around. They both said their goodbyes as the sun began to set, with plans for Friday. On the drive home, Steve found himself unable to stop thinking about Billy. Like, why would he apologize? It made sense if he Max was serious, but what chance did she  _really_ have of taking down Billy? Maybe he just wanted to turn over a new leaf and gain a friend or two. That made sense to Steve. After all, he was kind of friendless himself. Well, unless you could count Nancy, Jonathon, and a pack of middle schoolers.

**Author's Note:**

> this is really short but the chapters will get longer as I move on :)  
> I'm trash yikes


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